A lot of people who travel are usually annoyed when they get offered travel insurance. Most travelers think that they don’t need travel insurance especially if their current company has already purchased a life insurance for them. Mostly, travelers just don’t want to be bothered by the red tape associated with getting travel insurance, when they could just easily move on and proceed to their planned activities without being troubled by a travel insurance.

But a travel insurance can actually provide coverage for you when an equipment you’ve been lugging along (such as cameras) breaks while you’re on the road, or when –heaven forbid- it gets stolen. It is also important to secure travel insurance overseas, as some medical insurance policies don’t cover you when you are overseas.

Here are a few things to remember when looking for the right travel insurance:

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Steps

1

High medical expense coverage.Getting travel insurance with high medical expense coverage is important because you don’t know what kind of medical attention you will need in case you get into an accident, get injured or sick. Try to look for a policy that will cover your medical expenses for up to $200,000. Otherwise, it will be useless to get an insurance plan if all it will cover is just a check-up.

2

Evacuation coverage. In choosing the right travel insurance and comparing available travel insurance plans, it is important to look for one that covers evacuation to the hospital or evacuation to your country, if needed. You will never know when an accident will require you to have special treatment and operation, which the locals may not provide. You should also check to see if the insurance will cover the expense of your flight going home, just in case.

3

Other coverage you should look for. Apart from the high medical expense and evacuation cover, you should also look for twenty-four hour emergency services that will be extended to you as needed; a cover for sudden sicknesses you might get or injuries; a protection for damaged or stolen possessions including your jewelry, documents, luggage, and so forth; coverage for most countries in the world; protection for your electronics; cover for cancellations of flights, room accommodations, and other transportation schedules; cover personal accidents; protect you from emergencies and conflicts in the country you visited; cover any legal costs that will be incurred; and provide financial protection for you when the company goes bankrupt while you are out of the country.

4

Know what isn’t covered. Another helpful tip for travel insurance comparison is to know which accidents are not covered by the travel insurance policies. Some insurance plans don’t cover adventure activities including hang gliding, bungee jumping, and other similar sports or activities. Some insurance companies will also avoid covering you if you get someone else injured on the road. Other events that are not usually covered by travel insurance include accidents that are due to drugs or alcohol, and carelessness in looking over your possessions.

5

Be prepared for proper documentation. In case you get into an accident and need to make a claim, it is essential to gather all the pertinent documents, receipts, and photos of the incident. Also try to write down accurate notes as soon as you can so that you won’t forget or miss an important detail such as the exact location, time, and so forth. It would also be good to get the names and contact details of everyone involved in the incident, whether they were directly involved or were simply witnesses to what happened.

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Tips

Finding the right travel insurance is not about looking for the most affordable plan you can pay. Rather, it is about securing the plan that can offer you the best protection possible, making your payments worthwhile. So try looking for a travel insurance that has high medical expense coverage, evacuation coverage, personal accident coverage, damaged or stolen possession coverage—whichever type you think you need the most. And make sure that when it’s time to make a claim on your insurance, you will submit the proper documentations and details to make it easier for you to make a claim in the quickest time possible.